Catherine Of Valois | French princess | Britannica.com Catherine Of Valois Blaise Pascal Catherine Of Valois, (born Oct. 27, 1401, Paris , France —died Jan. 3, 1437, Bermondsey Abbey, London, Eng.), French princess, the wife of King Henry V of England , mother of King Henry VI , and grandmother of the first Tudor monarch of England, Henry VII. Catherine was the daughter of King Charles VI of France and Isabella of Bavaria and was much neglected in childhood because of her father’s frequent bouts of madness and her mother’s selfish indifference. After his accession to the English throne (March 1413), Henry V renewed the negotiations for his marriage to Catherine started by his father, Henry IV. His demand for a large dowry and the restoration of Normandy and Aquitaine (once possessions of English kings) led to war, and the marriage did not take place until June 2, 1420, after the signing of the Treaty of Troyes. Catherine was crowned in Westminster Abbey in February 1421 and gave birth to a son, afterward Henry VI, in the following December.

She joined Henry in France in May 1422 and returned to England after his death the following August , residing first at Windsor Castle and later at Baynard’s Castle, London. From about 1425 gossip associated Catherine’s name with that of a Welsh squire, Owen Tudor . Their marriage may have taken place secretly in 1429, or they may already have been married when, in 1428, an act of Parliament was passed forbidding her marriage without the consent of king and council. Owen Tudor was imprisoned in 1436 and Catherine retired to Bermondsey Abbey, London. By Owen Tudor she had three sons and two daughters, one of whom died in infancy; the eldest son, Edmund, created Earl of Richmond in 1452, was the father of Henry VII .

Learn More in these related articles: 1000+ images about England - King Henry V & Catherine of Valois on Pinterest | Catherine of valois, King henry v and King henry Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas England - King Henry V & Catherine of Valois 5 Pins49 Followers Catherine of Valois Biography Updated July 01, 2016. Catherine of Valois Facts: Known for: consort of Henry V of England, mother of Henry VI, grandmother of Henry VII the first Tudor king, also the daughter of a king Dates: Dates: October 27 , 1401 - January 3, 1437 Also known as: Katherine of Valois Catherine of Valois Biography: Catherine of Valois, daughter of the King Charles VI of France and his consort, Isabella of Bavaria, was born in Paris. Her earliest years saw conflict and poverty within the royal family. Her father's mental illness, and her mother's rumored rejection of her, may have created an unhappy childhood. In 1403, when she was less than 2 years old, she was betrothed to Charles, heir of Louis, duke of bourbon.

In 1408, Henry IV of England proposed a peace agreement with France that would marry his son, the future Henry V, to one of the daughters of Charles VI of France. Over a number of years, marriage possibilities and plans were discussed, interrupted by Agincourt. Henry demanded that Normandy and Aquitaine be given back to Henry as part of any marriage agreement. continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge Finally, in 1418, the plans were again on the table, and Henry and Catherine met in June of 1419. Henry continued his pursuit of Catherine from England, and promised to renounce his assumed title of king of France if she would marry him, and if he and his children by Catherine would be named Charles' heirs. The Treaty of Troyes was signed and the pair were betrothed. Henry arrived in France in May and the couple was married on June 2, 1420. As part of the treaty, Henry won control of Normandy and Aquitaine, became regent of France during Charles' lifetime, and won the right to succeed on Charles' death. If this had come to pass, France and England would have been united under one monarch.

Instead, during the minority of Henry VI, the French Dauphin, Charles, was crowned as Charles VII with the aid of Joan of Arc in 1429. The newly married couple were together as Henry laid seige to several cities. They celebrated Christmas at the Louvre Palace, then left for Rouen, and then traveled to England in January of 1421. Catherine of Valois was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey in February, 1421. with Henry absent so that the attention would all be on his queen. The two toured England, to introduce the new queen but also to increase commitment to Henry's military ventures. The son of Catherine and Henry, the future Henry VI, was born in December of 1421, with Henry back in France. In May of 1422 Catherine, without her son, traveled to France with John, duke of Bedford, to join her husband. Henry V died of an illness in August 1422, leaving the crown of England in the hands of a minor. During Henry's youth he was educated and raised by Lancastrians while the Duke of York, Henry's uncle, held power as Protector.

Catherine's role was mainly ceremonial. Catherine went to live on land controlled by the Duke of Lanchester, with castles and manor houses under her control. She appeared at times with the infant king on special occasions. Rumors of a relationship between the King's mother and Edmund Beaufort led to a statute in parliament forbidding marriage to a queen without royal consent -- by the king and his council -- without severe punishment. She appeared less often in public, though she did appear at her son's coronation in 1429. Catherine of Valois had begun a secret relationship with Owen Tudor, a Welsh squire. It is not known hwo or where they met. Historians are divided on whether Catherine had already married Owen Tudor before that Act of Parliament, or whether they married secretly after that. By 1432 they certainly were married, though without permission. In 1436, Owen Tudor was imprisoned and Catherine retired to Bermondsey Abbey, where she died the next year. The marriage was not revealed until after her death. Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor had five children, half-siblings to King Henry VI.

One daughter died in infancy and another daughter and three sons survived. The eldest son, Edmund, became Earl of Richmond in 1452. Edmund married Margaret Beaufort . Their son won the crown of England as Henry VII, claiming his right to the throne through conquest, but also through descent through his mother, Margaret Beaufort. More women's history biographies, by name: Hundred Years' War: Catherine of Valois, Queen of England (1401-1437) Search CATHERINE OF VALOIS, Queen of Henry V of England, daughter of Charles VI of France by his wife Isabel of Bavaria, was born in Paris on the 27th of October 1401. The lunacy of her father and the depravity of her mother were serious drawbacks to Catherine, and her only education was obtained in a convent at Poissy. About 1408 a marriage was suggested between the princess and Henry, Prince of Wales, afterwards Henry V, who renewed this proposal after he became king in March 1413.

In addition to the hand of Catherine, however, the English king asked for a large dowry both in money and lands, and when these demands were rejected war broke out. Once or twice during short intervals of peace the marriage project was revived, and was favoured by Queen Isabel. When peace was eventually made at Troyes in May 1420 Henry and Catherine were betrothed, and the marriage took place at Troyes on the 2nd of June 1420. Having crossed to England with Henry, the queen was crowned in Westminster Abbey on the 23rd of February 1421, and in the following December gave birth to a son, afterwards King Henry VI . She joined Henry in France in May 1422, returning to England after his death in the succeeding August. Catherine's name soon began to be coupled with that of Owen Tudor , a Welsh gentleman, and in 1428, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester , secured the passing of an act to prevent her from marrying without the consent of the king and council. It appears, however, that by this time Catherine and Tudor were already married.

They lived in obscurity till 1436, when Tudor was imprisoned, and Catherine retired to Bermondsey Abbey, where she died on the 3rd of January 1437. Her body was buried in the Lady Chapel of Westminster Abbey, and when the chapel was pulled down during the reign of Henry VII , was placed in Henry V 's tomb. It lay afterwards under the Villiers monument, and in 1878 was re-buried in Henry V's chantry. By Owen Tudor, Catherine had three sons and a daughter. Her eldest son by this marriage, Edmund of Hadham , was created Earl of Richmond in 1452, and was the father of Henry VII . Excerpted from: Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed. Vol V. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. 532.

Other Local Resources: Catherine of Valois Catherine of Valois Location of death: London, England Cause of death: unspecified Nationality: England Executive summary: Consort of Henry V of England Catherine of Valois, Queen of Henry V of England, daughter of Charles VI of France by his wife Isabel of Bavaria, was born in Paris on the 27th of October 1401. The lunacy of her father and the depravity of her mother were serious drawbacks to Catherine, and her only education was obtained in a convent at Poissy. About 1408 a marriage was suggested between the princess and Henry, Prince of Wales, afterwards Henry V, who renewed this proposal after he became king in March 1413. In addition to the hand of Catherine, however, the English king asked for a large dowry both in money and lands, and when these demands were rejected war broke out. Once or twice during short intervals of peace the marriage project was revived, and was favored by Queen Isabel. When peace was eventually made at Troyes in May 1420 Henry and Catherine were betrothed, and the marriage took place at Troyes on the 2nd of June 1420.

Having crossed to England with Henry, the queen was crowned in Westminster Abbey on the 23rd of February 1421, and in the following December gave birth to a son, afterwards King Henry VI . She joined Henry in France in May 1422, returning to England after his death in the succeeding August. Catherine's name soon began to be coupled with that of Owen Tudor, a Welsh gentleman, and in 1428 Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, secured the passing of an act to prevent her from marrying without the consent of the king and council. It appears, however, that by this time Catherine and Tudor were already married. They lived in obscurity until 1436, when Tudor was imprisoned, and Catherine retired to Bermondsey Abbey, where she died on the 3rd of January 1437. Her body was buried in the Lady chapel of Westminster Abbey, and when the chapel was pulled down during the reign of King Henry VII , was placed in Henry V's tomb. It lay afterwards under the Villiers monument, and in 1878 was reburied in Henry V's chantry. By Tudor Catherine had three sons and a daughter.

Her eldest son by this marriage, Edmund, was created Earl of Richmond in 1452, and was the father of Henry VII. Father: Charles VI (King of France) Mother: Isabel of Bavaria Husband: King Henry V (King of England, m. 2-Jun-1420, d. 1422) Husband: Owen Tudor (d.

1461 execution) Son: Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Son: Jasper Tudor, 1st Duke of Bedford Son: Owen Tudor (monk) Catherine of Valois, Queen of England | Unofficial Royalty Catherine of Valois, Queen of England by Susan Flantzer Credit – Wikipedia “On Shrove Tuesday 1669, I to the Abbey went, and by favour did see the body of Queen Catherine of Valois, and had the upper part of the body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it I did kiss a Queen: and this my birthday and I thirty-six years old and I did kiss a Queen.” Samuel Pepys , an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is most famous for the diary he kept during the years 1660-1669, wrote this in his diary on his 36th birthday. The queen was Catherine of Valois, wife of King Henry V of England, mother of King Henry VI of England , and grandmother of Henry Tudor who became King Henry VII of England .

During renovations of Westminster Abbey in the reign of King Henry VII, Catherine’s tomb was destroyed (some say to distance her grandson Henry VII from his illegitimate ancestry) and her remains were placed in a wooden coffin and kept above ground. Abbey vergers charged a shilling to take off the coffin’s lid so curious visitors could view Catherine’s corpse. Her coffin remained a public spectacle for over 200 years until it was buried in the Villiers Vault in the St. Nicholas Chapel of the Abbey in 1778. In 1878, Catherine’s remains were re-buried in a new altar tomb of Henry V’s Chantry in the Abbey. Catherine of Valois’ tomb at Westminster Abbey; Photo Credit – Catherine of Valois was born a French princess on October 27, 1401, the tenth of the twelve children of King Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria . Once known as Charles the Beloved, Catherine’s father became known as Charles the Mad when he began to suffer bouts of insanity in 1392 which continued throughout his life.

During one bout, Charles thought that he was made of glass and acted in ways that caused him to protect himself so that he would not break. Catherine’s son King Henry VI of England also suffered from similar bouts and it is possible that they were both suffering from porphyria which is a hereditary disease believed to have plagued King George III of Great Britain , a descendant of Catherine of Valois through one of her sons by Owen Tudor. Catherine had 11 siblings: Charles, Dauphin of Viennois (1403 – 1461), married Marie of Anjou , had issue; became Charles VII, King of France, after his father’s death Philip (born and died in 1407) Most notable of Catherine’s seven siblings who reached adulthood are King Charles VII of France who was the Dauphin helped by Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years War and Isabella of Valois who was the second wife and widow of King Richard II of England . King Henry IV had usurped the throne from his cousin King Richard II.

It is thought that Richard starved to death in captivity on or around February 14, 1400, but there is uncertainty over the date and manner of his death. King Henry IV then decided the widowed Queen Isabella should marry his son, the future King Henry V of England, but she refused. Knowing her husband was dead, she went into mourning, ignoring King Henry IV’s demands. Eventually, Isabella was allowed to return to France where she married a second time and died in childbirth at the age of 19. King Henry IV had started negotiations to marry Catherine to his heir Henry, but he died before the negotiations were completed. The new king, Henry V, continued the marriage negotiations. He was eager to regain all the French land that previous English kings had lost over the centuries and reign in both England and France. He intended to accomplish this either by conquest or marriage. As a dowry, King Henry V demanded two million crowns and the return of Normandy and Aquitaine. The French refused and King Henry V declared war. According to contemporary writers, Catherine took pride in the fact that she was worth fighting for and was eager to marry Henry.

Following many defeats including the great English victory at the Battle of Agincourt , the French agreed to the marriage. A peace treaty was agreed upon in May of 1420 and one of the previsions was that King Charles VI of France acknowledge King Henry V of England as his heir. Catherine and Henry were married at Troyes Cathedral in France on June 2, 1420. Despite the peace treaty, fighting still continued and Catherine spent the first few months of her marriage accompanying Henry from battle to battle. Marriage of King Henry V of England and Catherine of Valois; Photo: Wikipedia Eventually the couple returned to England and Catherine was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey on February 23, 1421. By the summer, Catherine was pregnant and Henry was returning to France to continue with his military campaigns. Henry was superstitious and had warned Catherine against giving birth at Windsor Castle. Catherine did not listen to him and on December 6, 1421 gave birth to a boy named Henry at Windsor Castle.

Upon hearing the news, King Henry V said to his chamberlain Lord Fitz-Hugh, “I, Henry born at Monmouth, shall small time reign and much get, but Henry born at Windsor shall long reign and lose all.” Within nine months, his prophecy came true. On August 31, 1422, King Henry V died of dysentery, nine days before his 36th birthday, having reigned nine years, and his son King Henry VI at the age of nine months, started his 40 years on the throne. Catherine was left a widow at the age of 21. The two surviving brothers of King Henry V played important roles during the minority of King Henry VI. John, Duke of Bedford , was appointed Regent of the Realm and was in charge of the ongoing war in France. During Bedford’s absence, the government of England was headed by King Henry V’s other surviving brother, Humphrey, Duke of Glouceste r, who was appointed Protector and Defender of the Realm. His duties were limited to keeping the peace and summoning Parliament. Because Catherine was still quite marriageable, a bill was passed in Parliament setting the rules for the remarriage of a queen dowager.

The bill stated that if a queen dowager married without the king’s consent, her husband would lose his lands and possessions, but that any children of the marriage would not suffer any consequences. A “Catch 22” which would seem not to allow Catherine to marry any time soon stated that permission could only be granted once the king had reached his majority. At the time of the bill’s passage, Henry was six years old. With Catherine being a young widow and with apparently no chance of remarriage, it should not seem unusual that an amorous relationship would be likely. Owen ap Maredudd ap Tudor (in Welsh Owain ap Maredudd ap Tewdwr) was a Welsh soldier and courtier, descended from a daughter of the Welsh prince Rhys ap Gruffudd . He served in Catherine’s household and their relationship began when Catherine was living at Windsor Castle. There is much debate as to whether Catherine and Owen married. No documentation of a marriage exists and even if they did marry, their marriage would not have been legal due to the act regarding the remarriage of a queen dowager. From the relationship of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois descended King Henry VII of England and the Tudor Dynasty.

Through their great granddaughter Margaret Tudor descended the British royal family and many other European royal families. Owen and Catherine had at least six children: Thomas Tudor (1429 – 1501) He became a monk at Westminster Abbey and was known as Edward Bridgewater. Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (1430 – 1456) He married Lady Margaret Beaufort, and they were the parents of Henry Tudor, the future King Henry VII, and died of the plague shortly before his son’s birth. Jasper Tudor, 1st Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford (1431 – 1495) He married Catherine Woodville, daughter of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers and Jacquetta of Luxembourg. He had no legitimate children but did have two illegitimate children. One was Joan Tudor, an ancestor of Oliver Cromwell. Owen Tudor (1432–1510) He became a monk at Westminster Abbey. Tacinda Tudor (b. 1433) She married Reginald Grey, Baron Grey of Wilton and had issue.

(Daughter) Tudor (b. c. 1435) She became a nun. Margaret (Catherine) Tudor (born January 1437) She died shortly after birth. Catherine died at Bermondsey Abbey on January 3, 1437 following the birth of her last child and was buried in Westminster Abbey. After her death, Catherine’s two sons Edmund and Jasper went to live with Katherine de la Pole, Abbess of Barking , sister of William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk. Katherine de la Pole persuaded King Henry VI to take an interest in the boys, who were his half-brothers. King Henry VI eventually gave his two Tudor half-brothers the rank of Earl and also issued an edict that the legitimization of his two Tudor half-brothers was unnecessary. Owen Tudor became an early casualty of the Wars of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

On February 2, 1461, Owen, at the age of 60, unsuccessfully led the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross against the Yorkists led by Edward, Earl of March (the future King Edward IV) . Owen was beheaded at Hereford along with other prisoners, and was buried there. Before his execution, he is alleged to have said that “the head which used to lie in Queen Catherine’s lap would now lie in the executioner’s basket”. Catherine’s son with King Henry V, King Henry VI, reigned in England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471. From 1455 onward, the Wars of the Roses, tore the country apart literally and emotionally. After the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Tewkesbury where King Henry VI’s only child Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales was killed, King Henry VI ultimately lost his crown to the Yorkist King Edward IV. Henry was imprisoned in the Wakefield Tower at the Tower of London and died, most likely by murder, during the night of May 21/22, 1471.

1000+ images about The Royals - King Henry V & Katherine of Valois & Matilda /second wife on Pinterest | Catherine of valois, King henry v and Queen of england Forward John Duke of Bedford (1389-1435), brother of Henry V of England. Married Anne of Burgundy as his first wife, and, as his second spouse, and her first, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, with no issue resulting from either marriage. It was he who caused Joan of Arc to be burned in Rouen as a witch. Jacquetta was the mother of Elizabeth Woodville by her second marriage, making her the grandmother of Elizabeth of York, the consort of Henry VII. See More Catherine of Valois wife of Henry V and Owen Tudor Send to Kindle Who was Catherine of Valois? Yet another enigmatic Medieval woman, whose role in life seems set in stone from birth but who manages through sheer will and determination to change the course of her life. So who was Catherine of Valois? She was the daugher of a king, the tenth child of King Charles VI of France and Queen, Isabeau of Bavaria.

The Princess Catherine was born in the royal palace, the Hotel de Saint Pol in Paris on 27th October 1401. As a tenth child it might be thought that little would be expected of her beyond a useful marriage but Catherine was born into an age when France was in chaos, not least because King Charles was becoming increasingly mentally ill. Both the country and the family were in turmoil. Finally the King was kept away from the public and placed in the Hotel de Saint Pol, with his children. Queen Isabeau was an ambitious woman with a cruel and ruthless determination to advance her own affairs. She was not interested in pursuing any gains for her children, her intention was to seek gain for herself. She had many affairs and used her brother, Louis, Duke of Bavaria, and her brother-in-law Louis, Duke of Orleans, to seize control of the government of France from the the King’s cousin John, Duke of Burgundy. 15th Century Manuscript Hotel St Pol Having achieved that, she spent both King and country’s money on herself and her favourites. She cared little for the King or her children. It was recorded that the children were kept in a poor condition with little to eat and dirty ragged clothes.

She turned her back on the palace, forgot or never intended to pay those who attended to her family, so they were left in appalling conditions. It was hardly the life of a Princess for Catherine of Valois, with a negligent mother and and insane father. The children were the companions of the Duke of Burgundy’s children, were they also subjected to this level of neglect? King Charles however made a complete and most dramatic recovery and quickly evaluated the situation. Queen Isabeau and her admirer the Duke of Orleans, fled to Milan. The King took back command but then did a very strange thing, he made the Queen’s brother follow her with all the children, including his heir the Dauphin Louis and the Duke of Burgundy’s children. Why did he do that? The inevitable happened, her brother kidnapped the children, including the heir to the throne. The plot was quashed by the Duke of Burgundy and the children returned to Paris. Catherine of Valois was sent to Poissy Convent At last some sense seems to have come to the court of King Charles and his advisors and Catherine and her sister were sent to a convent at Poissey, safe at last from their mother.

But all was not well in France, King Charles became ill again and the various dynastic houses in France saw an opportunity to take power. By 1411 Catherine was still only ten years old and yet had been through so much. The Burgundians and the Armagnacs fought for control, the Armagnacs eventually winning out, the Queen still playing politics at every turn. King Henry IV in England was watching the French implode considering his options. In 1413 King Henry proposed a match between his son and Princess Catherine, now 12 years old and considered a valuable asset to her family. Catherine of Valois and King Henry V There was a reluctance on part of the French to agree to a marriage between Prince Henry and Catherine. Then King Henry IV died and the young King Henry V proved to be a very different man. The French knew their vulnerability. They rebuffed Henry’s proposal and Henry decided to invade France. Before he invaded Henry sent a letter to Catherine’s father demanding her hand and a huge dowry of 2 million crowns. He also wanted Normandy restored and a number of the southern provinces. The French were furious with this marriage proposal, made under threat of invasion.

King Henry V King Henry V carried out his threat and the blow he struck the French at Agincourt stunned them. He now appeared disinterested in seeking Princess Catherine’s hand. Her mother, the twisted Isabeau was beside herself when she heard King Henry was seeking the hand of another princess, the Princess of Aragon. Maybe this was just a very clever game that Henry was playing? Yet another blow struck the French household, the heir to the throne and his brother died. Could their mother have been responsible? It played into her hands, she was able to manipulate the surviving heir Charles who was only twelve years old. Amidst the chaos of the King’s illness and unrest in France she became regent. She gathered her children to her but it was Catherine she now concentrated upon. Catherine was a valuable asset and although it may seem odd in retrospect, Catherine developed a close bond with her mother at this point. What else was she supposed to do? Marriage Henry V and Catherine of Valois Catherine and Queen Isabeau set their sights on making Catherine Queen of England. The Queen sent her ambassadors to Henry with a portrait of her young daughter.

Regarded as a beautiful young woman, ‘Catherine the Fair’, the Queen thought it unreasonable for the King of England to demand such a high dowry. Henry however was unbending. Even when he met Catherine at the peace conference following the fall of Rouen, Henry refused to reduce his dowry demand. The Queen’s next ploy was to remove Catherine from the King’s sight and tempt him that way. This seemed to do the trick Henry declared to Philip of Burgundy. ‘Fair cousin, we wish you to know that we will have the daughter of your King, or we will drive him and you out of his kingdom!’ Things were spiraling out of control in France and after the murder of the Burgundian Duke his son Philip vowed revenge on the Armagnacs and turned to Henry for help in achieving this, agreeing a treaty with him, Henry set out his terms and asked that he deal only with Catherine. Sensing the moment had come to push home her advantage, Queen Isabeau agreed to the marriage of Catherine and Henry in the Treaty of Troyes.

She clinched the deal by giving away her husbands and her sons sovereignty, she would ensure that after the death of the mentally ill King Charles, the crown of France would pass to Henry, Catherine and their heirs. Was Catherine so infatuated by Henry that she did not give a second thought for her brother? Henry and Catherine were betrothed on 21st May 1420 and a few weeks later were married in a ceremony at Troyes. Henry and Catherine returned to England and on 24th February in a magnificent ceremony Queen Catherine was crowned at Westminster, followed by an elaborate feast held in her honour. Catherine of Valois Queen of England Whatever Catherine had imagined life with Henry would be like, she was bound to be disappointed. Henry was a military man, and still preoccupied with France. When his brother Thomas was killed in France, Henry took troops and went to France. Catherine was pregnant and gave birth to her son Henry whilst the King was away. Henry did not return and the child was christened in his absence. Queen Catherine asked for leave to go to France and meet with her husband leaving the young Prince Henry in the care of King Henry’s brother.

Catherine left England with thousands of troops to reinforce Henry’s army. Henry came to meet her, along with her parents. They advanced to Paris but her arrival here, made with great pomp and circumstance, did little to impress the Parisians who found her aloof. They were angered by her flagrant wealth and the sight of her pitiful father and overlooked father. But Catherine had far more important things to concern her King Henry had contracted dysentery and it was soon obvious that he had little time to live. King Henry V died on 31st August 1422. Catherine was distraught with shock and grief but accompanied her husbands body back to England. His death brought out thousands of mourners and they took pity on the young Queen. Not long after his funeral, Catherine received news that her father had died. Her baby son was King of both England and France. Catherine immersed herself in her sons life and was frequently seen at ceremonies with him, maybe recalling her own sadly pathetic childhood. The Queen Dowager was in an incredibly powerful position, she was young, attractive and wealthy and the mother of the King of France and England. It was a difficult position for the Council, another marriage could spell disaster for either country.

In 1425 it was decided that the King should be removed from his mother’s care into a separate household. Catherine seemed to accept this and be content with her role. And yet in 1428, the Duke of Gloucester, heard rumours that Catherine intended to marry Edmund Beaufort, Earl of Somerset, a cousin of the late King. Such was the fear in Council that Parliament were persuaded to pass a law prohibiting any person from marrying the queen-dowager without the consent of the King and Council. If Catherine had been in love with Edmund Beaufort, it soon became obvious to those around her that she had started an affair with a Welshman, Owen Tudor. Tudor had been in the employ of King Henry V and had then been in the service of the baby, King Henry VI. Catherine then appointed him Clerk of her Wardrobe. Those around her warned her of the folly of such an affair. She continued despite the warnings, removing herself from court life, she and Owen Tudor retreated to the countryside and in the 1430’s place and date unknown, they married.

By this time the Queen and her lover were inseparable and although barred from remarrying without the consent of the Council, Catherine would not hear of giving up her lover. Unwilling to end the relationship yet unable to remain at court where there was a constant threat of exposure, Catherine’s response was to retreat further from court life by retiring to the countryside. And free from the prying eyes of the court, the besotted Queen not only continued her affair, she went one step further and on an unknown date in the early 1430s, Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor were supposed to have married. No evidence exists for this marriage but five children were born of it including sons Edmund, Jasper and Owen. It seems incredible that all this happened quietly. King Henry VI was crowned King of England in November 1429 and as King of France, in December 1431. Catherine appears at neither ceremony but Henry was not estranged from his mother, he gifted her a valuable ruby ring in 1428. Did he know of his mothers affair and his half brothers and sisters at this point? It seems impossible he did not.

Bermondsey Abbey South London The Duke of Gloucester was paranoid about the possibility of Catherine re-marrying, when he learnt of the marriage between herself and Owen Tudor he separated her household removing Tudor to Newgate and herself to Bermondesy Abbey. The children were placed with the family of Catherine de la Pole. Catherine was once again pregnant and unwell and shortly after being removed to the Abbey gave birth to a daughter who died. Catherine’s health deteriorated and she died aged just 36 years old. King Henry VI was deeply saddened by his mother’s death, he was only 16 years old himself. All due regard was given to her at her funeral. Her body lay in state at St Catherine’s Chapel at the Tower of London and on 18th February 1437 she was buried in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey. King Henry VI erected an altar tomb and included an inscription describing her as his father’s widow. The King took care of his mother’s other family, Owen Tudor was given an annuity of £40 a year and he took Edmund and Jasper Tudor under his care, they were created Earl of Richmond and Pembroke.

Their brother Owen became a monk and there is uncertainty about the other child. In what appears as a hugely caring move towards Catherine’s honour, in 1453 he declared his half brothers legitimate. Edmund had a royal marriage arranged for him with Lady Margaret Beaufort, heiress of the House of Somerset and thus was raised above all the other peers. Catherine of Valois Tomb Effigy Catherine of Valois Incorruptible body And on a last note, Catherine’s body was termed an ‘incorruptible’ body whether by some process of embalming or other. Her grave was deliberately destroyed by her grandson King Henry VII and her body was found to be strangely intact. Catherine was left exposed to the elements for hundreds of years and became a sort of tourist attraction.

Samuel Pepys recalls this event; “On Shrove Tuesday 1669, I to the Abbey went, and by favour did see the body of Queen Catherine of Valois, and had the upper part of the body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it I did kiss a Queen: and this my birthday and I thirty-six years old and I did kiss a Queen.” Series Navigation Owen Tudor and Katherine of Valois OWEN TUDOR AND KATHERINE OF VALOIS Katherine of Valois was the daughter of King Charles VI of France and his wife Isabelle of Bavaria. She was born at the Hotel of St. Pol (a royal palace in Paris) on October 27, 1401. Early on there had been a discussion of marrying her to the son of Henry IV, but the King died before negotiations could begin. The new king, Henry V, also proposed the match, but demanded a large dowry and acknowledgement of his right to the throne of France. Henry V went to war with France and even after the English victory at Agincourt, plans for the marriage continued.

Katherine was said to be very attractive and when Henry finally met her at Meulan he became enamored. In May 1420, a peace treaty was made between England and France and Charles acknowledged Henry of England as his heir. Katherine and Henry were married at the parish Church of St. John. Katherine went to England with her new husband and was crowned as Queen in Westminster Abbey in February 1421. In June 1421, Henry returned to France to continue his campaigns. By this time, Katherine was several months pregnant and gave birth to Prince Henry on December 6, 1421 at Windsor . The boy and his father would never see each other. During the siege of Meaux, Henry V contracted some sort of illness and died on August 31, 1422, just before he would have turned 35 years old. Katherine was not quite 21 and was left a widow and Dowager Queen of England. Charles VI died a couple of months after Henry V, which made the young Henry VI king of both England and France. Katherine doted on her young son during his early childhood.

However, Katherine was still young and might wish to remarry, which was of concern to the Protector, the king's uncle, Henry Duke of Gloucester. In the Parliament of 1427-8, a bill was introduced setting the rules for the remarriage of a Queen Dowager. The bill stated that if the Queen and a new husband married without the King's consent, the husband would lose his lands and possessions, although any children from the marriage would still be members of the royal family and would not suffer punishment. Another rule was that the king's permission could only be granted once he had reached his majority. At the time the bill was written, the king was only six years old. Katherine lived in the king's household, presumably so she could care for her young son, but it also carried the benefit that the councillors could watch over the Queen herself. Despite all of this, Katherine did remarry in secret, sometime in 1431 or 1432. Her new husband was Owen ap Maredudd ap Tudur of Wales. Somewhere at this time, the Queen stopped living in the King's household and in May 1432 Parliament granted Owen the rights of an Englishman.

This was important because of Henry IV's laws limiting the rights of Welshmen. There are many tales, most unsupported, of how Katherine and Own met. Owen was probably born in about 1400, and may have gone to war in the service of Henry V's steward Sir Walter Hungerford in 1421 in France. We don't know for sure what position Owen held when he met the Queen, but he was most likely keeper of the Queen's household or wardrobe. Despite all the romantic embellishments by later writers, it seems that Owen and Katherine were attracted to one another and were legally married in the early 1430s. At some point, an English bookkeeper or scribe (possibly confused by the Welsh patronymic naming scheme) recorded Owen ap Maredudd ap Tudur as "Owen Tudor". Owen and Katherine had at least four children, although their only known daughter died young. Edmund , Jasper and Owen, the three sons born to the couple, were all born away from court. Katherine entered Bermondsey Abbey, possibly seeking a cure for an illness that had troubled her for some time.

She made her will just three days before her death on January 3, 1437. She now rests at Westminster Abbey in Henry V's Chantry Chapel. After the Queen's death, Owen and Katherine's enemies decided to proceed against Owen for violating the the law of the remarriage of the Dowager Queen. Owen appeared before the Council, acquitting himself of all charges and was released. On his way back to Wales, he was arrested and his possessions seized. He tried to escape from Newgate jail in early 1438 and eventually ended up at Windsor Castle in July of that year. Meanwhile, Owen and Katherine's two older sons, Edmund and Jasper, were sent to live with Katherine de la Pole, who was abbess of Barking and sister to the Earl of Suffolk. Sometime after 1442, the King (their half-brother) took a role in their upbringing. Owen, their father, was eventually released on £2000 bail, but was pardoned in November 1439 (and the bail canceled in 1440). Owen was treated well afterwards and was in the household of the King until the mid-1450s.

Question: Which King of England married Catherine of Valois?
Answer: Henry 5th